Jeff McLane, Inquirer Staff Writer

Posted:
Monday, November 21, 2011, 1:22 PM

Andy Reid said Monday that he wasn't pleased that DeSean Jackson took a taunting personal foul penalty that negated a 50-yard pass play Sunday night against the New York Giants. (He also didn't agree with how the penalty was assessed. More on that later).

But the Eagles coach didn't exactly criticize the brash Eagles receiver as others have after Jackson flipped the football at Giants defensive coordinator Perry Fewell and drew an unsportsmanlike penalty.

Jaguars kicker Josh Scobee, for instance, called Jackson a "punk" on Twitter after the play happened.

He added with his next tweet: "Relax people. He's just a punk, which to me means he doesn't respect anyone or anything around him. Therefore, I don't respect him."

Scobee later apologized for his characterization of Jackson.

"Shouldn't have called DeSean Jackson that, I used the wrong words to try and make my point," he wrote.

Reid was asked about balancing Jackson's histrionics with his sometimes-great production. The receiver finished with six catches for 88 yards and returned one punt 51 yards.

"I'm not going to sit here and tell you I was happy about a penalty," Reid said Monday after the Eagles' 17-10 win over the Giants. "I wasn't happy about that. The thing I appreciated was he came out with that attitude we all love as far as loving to play the game. He was fired up and ready to go and that part I did appreciate."

As for the penalty, Giants defensive tackle Linval Joseph was also called for illegal use of the hands on that play. The officials ruled that the penalties were off-setting and that the down was to be re-played. Many, including Reid, believed that because Jackson's penalty occurred out of bounds that it should have been marked off after the 50-yard gain.

"It doesn't make sense," Reid said. "I was told it was called correctly."

NFL spokesman Greg Aiello wrote in an email, "That is the rule and it was applied correctly. The penalties offset and nullify the play."

Here's the rule as provided by the league office:

"Article 1 - If there is a double foul (3-11-2-c) without a change of possession, the penalties are offset and the down is replayed at the previous spot. If it was a scrimmage down, the number of the next down and the necessary line is the same as for the down for which the new one is substituted.15 YARDS VERSUS 5 YARDSExceptions: (1) If one of the fouls is of a nature that incurs a 15-yard penalty and the other foul of a double foul normally would result in a loss of 5 yards only (15 yards versus 5 yards), the major penalty yardage is to be assessed from the previous spot."

Reid, who is on the competition committee, was asked if the rule needed to be changed.

"I'm going do some more research on it now that it's over," Reid said. "I didn't understand it when I was out there. They explained it to me well. It's one of those that you kind of raise your eyebrow to."